Master in Management, Finance & Tech: Students’ Impressions
All members of the first class of the Master in Management, Finance & Tech degree, Caroline Oberrauch, Lijie Guo, Simone Saccagi and Timo Siegel share their initial experience of the program during their semester spent at emlyon business school (Lyon) and their hopes before embarking on semesters at POLIMI Graduate School of Management (Milan) and Bayes Business School (London).
What motivated your choice of this triple degree program at emlyon business school?
Caroline: “For me, the chance to study across three different countries in three top-ranked schools was a gamechanger. I was also attracted by the innovative side to the program – financial technology is the way ahead, so to see the place it occupies within the curriculum is another major plus.”
Simone: “The choice of locations grabbed my attention – London as a financial hub, Lyon for the management component, and Milan for Fintech.”
Timo: “In a post-Brexit world, it’s extra important to understand and learn from what is going on in the UK plus, as a German, the chance to study in France as one of the longest-running partners within the EU was also very appealing. Three countries, three different university systems, and three cultures. Too good an opportunity to miss!”
Lijie: “All three schools involved in the degree are prestigious, and rightly so. Even better for the student experience, the three combined cover pretty much every sector in terms of expertise and links to industry.”
How have you settled in France so far?
Caroline: “It’s early days but it’s true you have to get on with the language fairly quickly. That said, we’re in a really mixed class so you always find ways of communicating, both with classmates and professors. The student association has really stepped up to the plate to make us feel welcome.”
Timo: “I’ve found that by identifying activities you have in common with other students (cycling, in my case) you quickly settle in, plus the diverse nature of the cohort means you’re bound to find likeminded people or, on the contrary, enjoy meeting those from totally different backgrounds and places.”
Simone: “The fact the class is made up of so many nationalities has actually helped me settle in, as you learn immediately from other people’s various experiences. This all helps bond the cohort and maybe learn a thing or two in terms of what kind of career you might want to pursue after the program.”
Lijie: “There was a sense of continuity for me, having completed my Bachelor’s in Spain and spent study time in Germany through the Erasmus scheme, which allowed the cosmopolitan nature of the program and school to make the integration process remarkably seamless.”
What are your first impressions of the student experience in class?
Simone: “It’s been a challenge but in a very positive sense. I come from a more traditional university in terms of teaching approach, so the more full-on, collaborative approach here at emlyon where groupwork is favored represents a big change. One that I’m enjoying!”
Timo: “The workload here is heavy, but that is key to developing the kind of time management skills we’ll need in our future career. The teamwork approach encouraged is also part of the learning curve – working with others and finding the right pace for the whole group will serve us well in the future!”
Caroline: “I’ve never done so many presentations in my student life, but I’ll be all the better for it! This approach teaches you to be concise and get straight to the point. It’s safe to say these lessons will serve me well in the future.”
Lijie: “Intense, yes. However, the assessment here goes beyond individual exams, emphasizing how well you collaborate with others in various group assignments. This mirrors the realities of professional life, so I believe the balance is just right.”
What are your expectations for the rest of this fintech program?
Timo: “Following our semester in France we’ve got two semesters in two different countries to look forward to, plus an internship in a country of our choice. This multi-country experience will give us focus whilst we’re still students but also an idea of what we’ll want to do beyond.”
Caroline: “The multi-cultural side to studying across three countries is really exciting, both personally and professionally speaking. There’ll also be a bunch of quality careers events to take advantage of during our semesters in Italy and the UK and many activities to get involved in, so it’s a win-win as far as I’m concerned.”
Lijie: “I am certain about pursuing a career in fintech, leveraging my international experiences to excel in innovative, tech-driven finance roles. However, I hope that the semesters spent across the three schools, countries, and cultures will help me determine the specific position I’d like to begin my career in.”
Simone: “I’m looking forward to the semesters in Milan and London, for professional reasons among many others - for me, it’s all part of a package that will hopefully make clearer in my mind the kind of career trajectory I’ll pave for myself in the future.
